Resolve
by BuYaoNi
Summary: Batman's thoughts as he confronts Bane for the final time.


Disclaimer: I don't own Batman.

A/N: This is a story request for Bighead98.

* * *

"This is an extravagant night.  
Fallen and gray  
When the night falls slowly and the evening lights are lit  
I am a part of it  
The dark night."

Shang Wenjie (尚雯婕) - The Last Song of Praise (最后的赞歌)

* * *

Resolve

Surrounded by heavy snow in the morning, clad in dark armor, Batman stood out of place, but it continued to solidify the truth that the Dark Knight had risen. Batman had come back from the bottom of the pit where almost all hope was gone to fight alongside with the police, fighting for redemption, for Gotham, for a new beginning. To bring back the hope he had nearly lost.

Batman moved quickly through the violent mass of criminals and cops battling out their frustrations towards the other. Punching, kicking, throwing the mercenaries to create a path, leaving batted bodies scattered around. He grabbed and shifted his weight and threw one of the many thugs over his shoulder. One of their faces' met the edge of his gauntlets, while another met the steel bottom of Batman's boot. Batman's fists flew across, connecting to jaws and guts, never stopping as blood continued to seep into the snow. Little else was on his mind except getting to the man who nearly destroyed everything he stood for. He continued until there was a space cleared between him and Bane. Now they were face to face.

The rage that he had had while trapped in the pit, watching the TV as Bane terrorized his beloved city began to build within him. The last time he was in this position, preparing to fight the man he was looking at, had been under the sewers where he snapped Batman's back and destroyed his cowl. Staring before him was the man; the criminal, who had, in front of a live broadcast, undid everything Batman, Harvey Dent, and James Gordon did for Gotham. He planted the neutron bomb that came from the Wayne Enterprises fusion reactor project that would wipe out all of Gotham City and its inhabitants. All while he watched and laid broken inside the horrid pit.

Batman matched Bane's gaze, keeping it focused on his opponent. Close to him now, Bane remained calm, almost arrogant. The terrorist looked none the worse for wear. But that was not going to stop him. Not this time.

Batman studied the man, peeling back layers of existing emotions, personality, but to find what? There was nothing there but a manic despot, a mass murderer. Intelligent, ruthless, and would not hesitate to destroy anyone who gets in the way of him fulfilling Ra's al Ghul's goals. He would feel completely apathetic about killing the civilians. That thought drove Batman even more than before. But Bane was not omnipotent, just human, or else he would of known that the plan to stop the bomb was already in motion. That Gordon will disarm the bomb.

Batman held his gaze before Bane spoke. "So, you came back to die with your city."

He continued to study the terrorist quietly before firmly replying without a hint of fear, "No, I came back to stop you."

Then Bane lunged forward, throwing a heavy fist towards Batman's cowl, aiming to break it and repeat their first fight. But Batman deflected it downwards with both fists. Batman narrowly avoided the next blow before he felt sharp pains in his ribs and head. He could feel his teeth rattle, the pain building, and it blinding him. He had to be careful. Do not rush in recklessly, and wait for an opening. He managed to grab a hold of Bane's fist and pushed it aside, throwing a blow against his mask. There it is. An opening. There is a weakness. He threw quick and precise blows against Bane's mask in an attempt to cut off the anesthetic gas that flowed into Bane, making him invulnerable to pain.

As Batman kept striking at Bane, facing him, he acknowledged that Bane was apt mentally as he was physically. But he will not let him break the mask again. He will not let him destroy Batman again. And he will never rid Gotham of hope.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading!

-Many thanks to fanwriter1245 for proofreading/editing this one shot!

-I hope this one shot was interesting enough! Tell me what you think of it!


End file.
